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An advancing warm front positioned just to our southwest, sweeps north and east through New England, enhancing the humidity and the cloud cover along with it. As the humidity increases, so does the threat for storms later this evening in advance of a cold front that will eventually usher in drier and cooler air behind it just in time for latter half of the weekend.

With the most recent drought monitor released last Thursday showing that the extreme and severe drought has expanded slightly, the most recent model updates show the biggest threat for downpours associated with some stronger storms will stick farther west before this line weakens and breaks apart by the time it reaches the coastal communities.

Just how much rain are we talking? Under some heavier downpours, we could get a soaking rain of at least an inch in southwestern Vermont and eastern Massachusetts. Some of these storms could be on the stronger side with strong wind gusts and heavy downpours reducing visibility if you are traveling overnight into Sunday morning, in the Lakes and Mountains region of far northwestern New England.

The farther south and eastern New England, including the southern coast and the Cape and Islands can expect some rain through Sunday morning, however, it will not be nearly enough to alleviate the extreme drought in the Boston-area. The best chances for at least 0.25 - 0.50" of rainfall remains in northern and western New England.

Sunday afternoon brightens up with some peaks of sunshine after the cold front sweeps through, ushering in a comfortable and pleasant start to the work week. By midweek, rain chances increase as another cold front moves in and out quickly on Wednesday and then we turn fall-like by the end of the week.